Had the grandparents here from Virginia and had to show them Lone Pine and Mt. Whitney. Of course you have to stop at 8500 feet, but the drive and the views along the way are breathtaking. Take a camera and make sure you go on a clear day. Be sure you stop at the lookouts along the way. You won't be sorry. Take a hike for a little while up the trail just to get a feel of what the hike might be like. But don't go far you will be fined and turned around, you have to have a permit to hike the whole trail.

I'm sure fans of western movies (or the old western TV shows) will recognize the scenery leading up to Mr. Witney. The road is steep and in the summer months (where temps easily exceed 100 degrees) it can cause cars to over-heat. In the spring and fall there is less car traffic but the weather can be chancy: ice flurries in November or biting wind. There are really no facilities after Lone Pine if you take El Portal Road....so make a bathroom stop in the quaint little town unless you don't mind using pit toilets in a few of the undeveloped campsites dotting the route up to Mt. Whitney. Make sure you bring a camera because, as stated, the views are really something to see. The minarets that flank Mt. Whitney make for some great photos.

What a great spot to visit.
We went up for sunrise and the colours and view was spectacular. It reminded my of the Dolomites with the grey rock and was beautiful.
Plus you are in a bear zone and we got to see deer. Any wildlife is good.
If you are in the Lone Pine region you MUST drive up to to the base.

This is my first and last backpacking trip. You need a permit for this hike. 4 of us were expert hikers and 5 of us were not. I'm 41 and I'm athletic and this hike was tough. First, I'm grateful that we hiked over 3 days. I can't imagine hiking 22 miles in one day. I had no problems with altitude because I was able to acclimate by hiking the trail in 3 days. I saw many people who were hiking the trail in one day and they did not look good. I wonder if they were able to enjoy the beauty around them.
We camped at Whitney portal for one night then started the hike the next day. The first 3 miles were moderate. The last 3 miles to trail camp was tough, going up and up. Trail camp was stunning. It took me about 7 hours to reach Trail camp. There are no outhouses here or on the trail. The last outhouse was at the start of the trail. Also, my friend had a water pump with a filter and that's what we used to get water.
At 8:30am The next day my hike started with the 97 switchbacks. Ugh! The view at Trail crest was amazing. Many people told me that the view at the summit was just as amazing so that thought kept me hiking. The hike was long. It didn't seem like there was an end in sight. Then I finally reached the summit at 12:40pm. It was beautiful. I lingered way to long at the summit waiting for others that it started to sprinkle rain. Not good. It took us a long time to get back to trail camp for the night. Well, it rained while I was going down the 97 switchbacks. I was wearing my ski parka but I had left my rain cover in my tent. The rain made the trail very slippery. I was happy I made it to the summit, but I was miserably cold. Make sure you prepare for all weather. And don't forget your camelback.
The last day was thankfully sunny. It took me less than 5 hours to hike down to Whitney portal where we had greasy french fries and a beer.
My friend who is 57 and out of shape, was exhausted after the hike but she made it to the top. I recommend this hike for stunning views but this is a once in a lifetime trip for me.